Lighter

ABSTRACT

Cigarette lighter with an improved system for depressing a plunger to ignite a burner, comprising a thumb operated member carrying a bearing positioned adjacent a transverse surface of the plunger, the member having a path of movement carrying the bearing against and along the plunger surface while depressing the plunger.

LIGHTER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention Thisinvention relates to cigarette lighters of the sort in which manualpressure on an external surface simultaneously exposes and actuates theburner.

2. Description of the Prior Art Such lighters typically require eitherdownward or oblique movement of the external actuating member. Often apiezoelectric ignition system is provided, and the movement of theactuating member trips a hammer which strikes the piezoelectric element.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention provides an attractive lighterthat can be smoothly, easily, and effectively operated with relativelylittle thumb pressure.

In general the invention features, in a lighter having a burner whichignites upon depression of a plunger along an axis, an improved systemfor depressing the plunger, comprising a thumb operated member, and abearing carried by the member and positioned adjacent a surface of theplunger, the surface being transverse to the plunger axis, the thumboperated member being mounted on the lighter for movement along a pathcarrying the bearing against and along the plunger surface whiledepressing the plunger. In preferred embodiments the thumb operatedmember is a cover pivoted to the lighter and the path is along acircular arc; the pivot for the member lies between the extremes fortravel of the plunger surface; the bearing is a roller; and the lighterbody is disposed in a shell the sides of which terminate in upper edgesincluding curved portions, and the thumb operated member has sideshaving lower edges including curved portions mating with the curvedportions of the shell edges, the thumb operated member further havingears extending between the body and the shell, the ears carrying theroller and being pivoted to the body.

Other advantages and features of the invention will be apparent from thedescription and drawing herein of a preferred embodiment thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a sectional view, partlybroken away, of a lighter, with its cover closed;

FIG. 2 is an isometric view, in reduced scale, of the lighter of FIG. 1;and

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of selected elements of the lighter.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawing, alighter is shown having piezoelectric ignition system including a hammerunit and electrodes 14 and 16, electrode 14 also forming the burnernozzle connected to a gaseous fuel supply (not shown). The hammer unit10 is supported on a base 18 at the back of lighter body 20 and includesa shell 23 in which tits, in telescope fashion, plunger 28, for movementalong axis 24. Hammer 22 is inside both the shell and the plunger, andcarries pins 26 (on opposite sides, only one shown) which protrudethrough overlapping slots 25 and 27 in the shell and plunger,respectively (again, only one pair of slots shown).

A coil spring 34 is mounted in plunger 28 bearing at one end against anenlarged portion of hammer 22 and at the other end against the top ofthe plunger. A larger diameter coil spring 38 is mounted in shell 23bearing at one end against base 18 surrounding a piezoelectric element36 on base 18 and at the other end bearing against plunger 28 andsurrounding the lower end of hammer 22. Slots 25 have cam edges 32 whichact against pins 26 to hold the hammer up. Slots 27 have sloping edges30 which, when the plunger is depressed, pivot pins 26 away from edges32 to allow spring 34 to snap the hammer down against piezoelectricelement 36 within spring 38. Spring 38, biasing plunger 28 upwardly,returns the hammer unit to its original position upon release of theplunger, with bottom edges 40 of slots 27 acting to raise pins 26.Piezoelectric element 36 is connected to electrode 16 through wire 42.

The arrangement described thus far is known. The invention provides fordepression of plunger 28 by thumb operated cover 50 pivoted on pins 51to body 20 for rotation above axis 52 (FIG. 3) located forward of hammerunit 10 and vertically between the upper and lower extremes of travel ofthe top surface 53 of plunger 28. Cover 50 consists of a flat top 54which, when the cover is closed, extends across the entire lighter body,sides 56 which have lower edges 58 the rear portions 60 of which arecircular arc shaped, a flat back 61 which extends down to the ends ofedges 58, and ears 62 which extend downwardly from edges 58 but areoffset inwardly from sides 56. Ears 62 are pivoted to body 20 at axis 52and also carry an axle 64 on which is freely mounted roller 66. When thecover is closed roller 66 rests on plunger surface 53.

Outer shell 70 of the lighter covers ears 62 when the cover is closed,and its upper edges mate with the lower edges of the cover. Inparticular, circular are shaped edges 72 are adjacent edge portions 60.

The lighter is operated by thumb pressure against cover top 54 in theregion above plunger 28. As the cover opens it opens a valve (not shown)connecting burner 14 to the fuel supply, in conventional fashion. Thecover pivots about axis 52, arc shaped edges 60 and 72 slide againsteach other, and roller 66 moves downwardly and slightly rearwardly overplunger surface 53 (with axle 64 following are 67, FIG. 1), depressingthe plunger to actuate the hammer unit and provide a flame. Upon releaseof the cover, the plunger return causes roller 66 to reverse its motion,automatically closing the cover. The use of pin 51 as a fulcrum providesexcellent leverage, and roller 66 provides very smooth action.

Other embodiments are within the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a lighter having a burner which ignites upon depression of aplunger along an axis, an improved system for depressing said plunger,comprising a thumb operated member mounted on said lighter and a bearingcarried by said member and having a posi-' tion adjacent a surface ofsaid plunger, said surface being transverse to said axis,

means mounting said member on said lighter for movement along a pathcarrying said bearing against and along said plunger surface whiledepressing said plunger.

2. The lighter of claim 1 wherein said path is curved.

3. The lighter of claim 1 wherein said member is piv-' edges includingcurved portions, and said thumb operated member has sides having loweredges including curved portions mating with said curved portions of saidshell edges, said thumb operated member further having ears extendingbetween said body and said shell, said ears carrying said bearing andbeing connected to said body.

8. The lighter of claim 7 wherein said ears are pivoted to said body andsaid bearing is a roller.

Dedication 3,734,680.Susumu Mamyama, Tokyo, Japan. LIGHTER. Patent datedMay 22, 1973. Dedication filed Mar. 5, 1975, by the assignee, Park LaneAssociates, Inc. Hereby dedicates t0 the Public the entire term of saidpatent.

[Oyficz'al Gazette July 15, 1975.]

1. In a lighter having a burner which ignites upon depression of aplunger along an axis, an improved system for depressing said plunger,comprising a thumb operated member mounted on said lighter and a bearingcarried by said member and having a position adjacent a surface of saidplunger, said surface being transverse to said axis, means mounting saidmember on said lighter for movement along a path carrying said bearingagainst and along said plunger surface while depressing said plunger. 2.The lighter of claim 1 wherein said path is curved.
 3. The lighter ofclaim 1 wherein said member is pivoted to said lighter and said path isalong a circular arc.
 4. The lighter of claim 3 wherein said thumboperated member provides a cover for said burner.
 5. The lighter ofclaim 3 wherein the pivot for said member lies between the extremes oftravel of said plunger surface and to one side thereof.
 6. The lighterof claim 1 wherein said bearing is a roller.
 7. The lighter of claim 1further comprising a body disposed in a shell the sides of whichterminate in upper edges including curved portions, and said thumboperated member has sides having lower edges including curved portionsmating with said curved portions of said shell edges, said thumboperated member further having ears extending between said body and saidshell, said ears carrying said bearing and being connected to said body.8. The lighter of claim 7 wherein said ears are pivoted to said body andsaid bearing is a roller.